The $1 trillion spending package released by House Republicans on Wednesday includes the D.C. abortion rider. The package does not include a provision seeking an end to federal funding for Planned Parenthood (AP/NPR, 12/15). The Obama administration and congressional Democrats are resisting GOP efforts to include the D.C. abortion rider (Pear, New York Times, 12/14).

This month, 108 House Democrats sent a letter to the House Appropriations Committee chair and ranking member requesting an omnibus without policy riders that would restrict women's access to health care. "We are counting on those members and others to stand up for the women of the District of Columbia and HIV/AIDS prevention programs," the DC Vote letter states.

As negotiations on the spending package continue, some Democrats who signed the letter said they are unsure whether the issue would cause them to withhold support for the entire omnibus bill (Roll Call, 12/14). Lawmakers must approve a spending measure by midnight on Friday -- when the current stopgap continuing resolution expires -- to avoid a government shutdown (Women's' Health Policy Report, 12/14).

Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) said, "If it was the entire bill at stake, I don't think you can vote against funding the entire federal government over that single issue." Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) said such a rider would make him "inclined not to support it," while Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said they are undecided.

Grijalva said, "I think every member, not only the Progressive caucus and the 108 members who signed [the letter], are going to balance that with the need to get something done, ... but at the same time, you know, we have to be consistent with positions we took" (Roll Call, 12/14).

Video Round Up

An Interview with Justice Ginsburg on the State of Abortion Access

In a rare interview, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg tells MSNBC's Irin Carmon it is a "crying shame" that state abortion restrictions are making the procedure increasingly "[i]naccessible" to many low-income women. Watch the video

Datapoints

A Look at Abortion Coverage in the ACA's Marketplace Plans, Repro Health Report Card, More

This week's charts depict why abortion coverage is unavailable in many states' ACA marketplace plans for 2015. We also feature a national reproductive health report card and an interactive look at abortion restrictions in Missouri. Read more

At A Glance

"[Roe v. Wade] protects a woman's freedom to make her own choices about her body and her health, and reaffirms a fundamental American value: that government should not intrude in our most private and personal family matters."

— President Obama, commemorating the 42nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Read more